The Miracle of the MyrrhWritten by Marci Alborghetti
Illustrated by Hervé Blondon

Children's Book Review Service,
11/1/2000 “Have you ever wondered what happened to the gifts the Wise Men left for the Baby Jesus? One answer is found in this tender story of Mendel and his grateful heart. Witness another miracle as Mendel looks for a sign from heaven.”

School Library Journal,
10/1/2000 "The conceit of this original story is to explain the fate of the ‘three gifts the Wise Men brought to the baby Jesus.' Mary entrusts [the gifts] to Mendel, the handicapped son of Simon, who was an adopted brother and follower of Jesus. As Mendel ponders how to use them wisely, his mother, Salome, has her own ideas of what can be done with the gold. Despite the boy's dilemma, things quickly fall into place as he discovers needy people among Jesus's followers and distributes two of the treasures. Ultimately, a miracle occurs, Mendel is healed by the myrrh as a reward for his generosity. Blondon's illustrations are drawn with pastel pencils in mainly natural earth tones. The artist's simple, stylized shapes and figures have a blocky, geometric quality, which gives them the appearance of being carved in stone. A note explains why the author included specific individuals in her story."

Wabasso Standard,
11/29/2001 What happened to the gifts of the Magi?Author writes whimsical tale in ‘The Miracle of the Myrrh'

There is one element both the young and the old look for during the Christmas holidays and that is magic. In sight, sound, fragrance and ambience, Christmas is a season of rediscovering enchantment, childlike faith and hope; Marci Alborghetti's poignant children's book, The Miracle of the Myrrh bring all these elements to life.

Alborghetti, who writes for Guideposts, Acta and The American Catholic, always wondered as a child, “What happened to the gifts of the Magi?”

And so, one Christmas, she wrote a whimsical story to answer that intriguing question.

In Alborghetti's rich and inventive imagination, the story opens with children gathered at their grandfather's knee. The question is posed and through the grandfather's telling, the reader is immediately swept into a tale of legendary proportions, through the story of a crippled boy, named Mendel.

Following a series of events, the Wise Men's gold, frankincense and myrrh come into the possession of Mendel.

Reminiscent of Corrie Ten Boom's quote, “A gift isn't a gift until it's give away,” miracles begin happening. In the end, Mendel, who keeps nothing for himself, finds himself with unexpected recipient of a miracle, wrought out of self-less giving.

Exquisitely illustrated with larger than life images in gold-flecked earth tones and jewel colors by the award-winning French and American artist, Herve Blondon, this inviting book is irresistible.

Herve has had work published in publications such as the Washington Post and the Atlantic Monthly; he was awarded the gold medal by the Social of Illustrators for his work in the New York Times Magazine. Sure to become a classic and bringing to heart and mind the true Christmas message, The Miracle of the Myrrh, published by Winslow Press will be beloved by anyone who encounters it.